Static collector for printing presses



Aug. 14, 1928. 1,680,310

C. WEHRLE STATIC COLLECTOR FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed March 29, 1924 z og'rvuenio'a Charles Wehrle Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES CHARLES WEHRLE, OF REMER, MINNESOTA.

STATIC COLLECTOR FOR PRINTING PRE SSES.

Application filed March29, 1924. Serial No. 702.991.

My invention relates to static collectors for printing presses and hasfor its ob ect to rovide a simple and eflicient device for col ectingstatic charges accumulating upon sheets of paper handled in prmtmgpresses, folders, binders and similar material to prevent the adheringof the same to each other or to the fly or the tapes of such machinesand the clogging of such machines caused thereby.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a field of metallicpoints situated in substantially a single plane and positioned a shortdistance away from the sheets from which the static char es are to beremoved, which points are e ectrically connected to ether by suitableconductors and grounde In carrying out my ob ects 1n con]unction with aprinting press of the cylinder type employing a fly, I construct the fly1n the ordinary manner, arranging, however, each individual arm thereofwith a series of metallic points connected together which pointsprotrude to within a short dlstance of the engaging surface of said flyarms and which are all connected together at tne sup port of said flyarm by means of wires or cables properly grounded.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will be found in thedetailed description thereof and are particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings illustrating my invention in one form,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the delivery end of a printin press showing afly constructed in accor ance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of one of the fly arms illustratedin Figure 1 drawn to an enlarged scale and showing a portion of the samein section.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 3 drawn to anenlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 4 showing a modificationof the invention.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing a still furthermodification of the invention.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary, elevational view of the structure shown inFigure (3.

In the use of printing presses, folding machines and other machineryhandling sheets of paper for various purposes, considerable diflicultyhas been encountered, particularly in cold, dry weather, due to staticcharges collected u on the sheets which cause the same to ad ore to oneanother and to the flies and tapes or to the handling mechanisms of thevarious machines, causing the same to become clogged and to functionimproperly. Such difliculties have been attempted to be overcome by theutilization of steam and other expedients in causing the electricalcharges to be removed from the sheets. My invention produces the desiredresults in a simple and effective manner by collecting the charges fromthe sheets in a multiplicity of points closely positioned theretothrough which the charges readily pass and from which the same areconducted to a suitable ground.

Although it can readily be comprehended that my invention may be appliedto any type of machine used for handling sheets of paper and the like, Ihave for the sake of simplicity only illustrated my invention as appliedto an ordinary printing press which is illustrated more or lessdiagrammatically in Figure 1. In this figure I have shown a press Aconsisting of a framework 10 which has attached to it a delivery table11 and a fly B. This frame has attached to it bearings 19. and 13 whichjournal a fly shaft 14. This shaft may be operated by means of a crankarm 15 actuated through a lever 16 from the mechanism of the press inthe ordinary manner which, however, has not been illustrated in detail.To the shaft 14 are attached a number of fly arms 17 which are arrangedwith their surfaces lying in a single plane to form the fly B and whichare adapted to be simultaneously moved upon the oscillation of shaft 14to receive the sheets of paper as the same are delivered from the pressproper and to deposit them upon the table 11 within suitable guides 18and 19 provided for that purpose. The fly l is shown in Figure lv ashaving just delivered a sheet of paper shown at 20 upon the table llwithin the guides 18 and 19.

My invention lies in the particular construction of the fly arms 17, oneform of which is clearly illustrated at Figures 2 and 3. The arms 17 arepreferably constructed of wooden sticks or similar insulating substanceswhich may be of the shape generally used for this purpose, such as shownin cross section in Figure 4,- having bevelled corners 21 and 22 and asurface 23 adapted to ena e the sheets of paper as the same are deivered from the cylinders of the press.

The various arms 17 are attached to castings 24 having bosses 25 formedthereon through which the shaft 14 may extend, which castings arefurther rovided with lugs 26 protrudin'g outward y therefrom to whichthe arms 17 may be attached by means of machine screws 27 and 28. Uponthe rear of castings 24 the same are provided with set screws 29 servingto hold arms 17 securely to shaft 14 with the surfaces 23 thereofconfined to a single plane.

In the type of the invention shown in Figa short distance of the back 34thereof.

Both the groove 30 and the slot 33 may be simultaneously cut by means ofa suitable molding cutter or dado cutter leaving the curved ends 35illustrated in Fig. 2, which cause the said grooves to graduallyterminate so as to not weaken the arm by an abrupt break. The metallicmember providing the field of points consists of a metal strip 36 whichhas formed integrally with it a number of points 37 preferably made byshearing away a portion of the metal of sa1d strip to form said pointswhich are arrange in spaced relation to one another. The slot 33 is ofsuch a width that the strip 36 may be snugly lodged within the same andis of such a depth that the points 37 project within a short distance ofthe surface 23 of the arm 17. The metallic strip 36 is attached withinthe slot 33 by means of pins or rivets 38 which pass through the saidstrip and through the body of the arm 17 and which are riveted in placeupon the ends thereof to clamp the parts together and to firmly andsecurely hold the strip 36 with the points 37 formed thereon in place.

As before stated, all of the arms 17 are formed with points 37 which arearranged alongthe. surfaces 23 of said arms being within a shortdistance of the surface of the the various points 37 and to be conductedthrough the conductor 39. At either or both ends of conductor 39 thesame ma' be grounded to any ounded portion 0 the machine proper w ere alarge machine is employed having sufficient, ground capacit or may beconnected to any other suitab e ground.

In Figure 5 I have shown another form of the invention. In this case asingle slot 40 is employed similar to the slot 30 which extendscompletely throu h the arm 17 A metal plate 41 is secure to the backside 34 of arm'l7 by means of nails or other fastenin devices 42. Tothis plate is soldered or otherwise secured needles 43 which extendupwardly through the groove 40 and serve the same purpose as the points37. If desired, the invention can be applied to existing forms of flyarms without involving alteration thereof. Such construction is broughtout in Figures 6 and 7. In such cases I employ a U-shaped metal member44 which is formed with points 45 along the edges thereof. Member 44 isplaced surrounding the arm'17 andis so arranged that the points 45occupy the same relative position to the surface 23 as either the points37 or the needles 43. The member 44 may be attached to the arm 17 byrivets 46 similar to the rivets 38 in the other form of the invention.

If desired my invention may be employed with folding machines and othermachines and printing presses. In such instances a field or multiplicityof points is used such as described as attached to the fly of the press.This field is positioned so that the paper in traveling over the samepasses down'said points at a short distance from the same. In thismanner the electrical charge is removed from the paper the same as whenthe paper is deposited upon the fly inthe ordinary rotary printingpress.

Though the theory of operation of m invention may not readily becomprehende yet the multiplicity of points collect the charge from thesheets of paper and conduct the same to the ground so that when thesheets are deposited upon the delivery table 11 the charges thereon havebeen discharged, and the sheets leave the fly freely and remain wheredeposited. I have found by providing a short spark gap in the conductor39 that. a spark passes across the same'ever time a sheet is deliveredby the press, indicating a flow of current and the consequent dischargeof the charge upon the sheet through said "conductor. I have also notedthat unless a multiplicity of points are usel that the device does notfunction as eflicien ly as when the proper number of points a "e usedand sometimes does not even function at all. This seems to be due to thefact that a certain length of time is take-n for the charge to leave thepa er and travel to the conductor, which wien greater that the intervalthrough which the paper remains upon the fly, does not permit the chargefrom being wholly discharged. It further seems that the time isconsiderably reduced when a great number of points are employed due tothe fact that the charge in traveling along the surface of the paper hasa shorter distance to travel than when the points are greatly spaced.

The advantages of my invention are evident. A structure is providedwherein the static charges may be efiectively removed from the sheets ofpaper being handled by printing presses and folding machines. The deviceafter having once been installed does not need attention, being foolproof in operation and being practically incapable of going out of orderor being rendered inoperative. No operating cost other than the firstcost is necessary in the use of my invention whereas the added expensein installing fly arms with my invention is so small as to bepractically negligible in comparison with the cost of printing machines.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described my invention,illustrating the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have itunderstood that the invention can be carried out by other means andapplied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of thefollowing claims:

I claim:

1. In combination with a grooved member for manipulating sheets of paperhaving engaging surfaces adapted to come in contact with said sheets,charge collectors mounted upon said member in 'said groove having amultiplicity of points formed thereon adapted to extend outwardly inspaced relation to said member and to within a short distance of theengaging surfaces thereof and means for connecting all of said pointstogether and for grounding the same.

2. In combination with the arms of a printing press fly havinglongitudinal grooves formed therein, metallic strip positioned withinsaid grooves, points formed on said metallic strips being spaced fromthe walls of said grooves and projecting outwardly to within a shortdistance of the engaging surface of said arms.

CHARLES WEHRLE.

